Should I buy Blue-ray or HDDVD?

Question

Should I buy Blue-ray or HDDVD?

Answer 1

HD-DVD, they have Microsoft and 3 of the top movie companies about producing their films in the format (Universal, Warner Home Video & Paramount). At the same time they have Toshiba knocking out HD DVD players for under £200 with 7 free HD DVD's included.

Answer 2

Right now it's a toss-up.  There are actually more companies backing Blu-Ray than HD-DVD.  Blu-Ray discs hold more information, but the actual picture and sound are equally good.  I am leaning toward Blu-Ray since more companies are backing it, and there are about twice as many movies for Blu-Ray than HD-DVD.  It also depends on what movies you like.  If you like Disney movies, you need to buy Blu-Ray.  If you like Shrek or Transformers (Dreamworks), you have to buy HD-DVD.  The choice is really yours.

Answer 3

Buy a hybrid player. There is no risk involved if the format you've chosen fails.

Answer 4

The first question is can you benefit?

You need an HDTV (or projector), preferably 1080p (although 720p will give some benefit) and to watch at optimum distance (the 10' or so most people view TV from is too far for HDTV). You also need an HDMI input.

The second question is are you prepared to pay extra for disks (typically $10+ more for disks, $1-2 more to rent)?

The third question (This step is optional rather than essential) is are you prepared to upgrade your A/V receiver to one with HD audio codec support and HDMI switching and convert cables to HDMI? This is necessary to take advantage of HD lossless audio.

Assuming yes to at least question 1 and 2, the two formats give essentially identical picture and audio quality. So from a software perspective the choice doesn't matter.

HD DVD hardware is more mature than Blu-ray (the Blu-ray spec is still not final and many players are not capable of playing all special features), and less expensive.

Blu-ray disks are also encumbered with copy protection and region coding that HD DVD doesn't have.

If you don't have an upconverting DVD player, the HD-A3 HD DVD player (~$180) is a good one ... and also plays HD DVD disks. You can't really go wrong if you buy it as such since this is less than one of the better upconverting players and others costing less don't work as well.

So ... consider an HD-A3 (or HD-D3 same thing with HDMI cable) as an upconverting DVD player and you can always use it for DVDs if HD DVDs don't provide the benefit/cost ratio you expect, or to play DVD versions of movies not available in HD DVD format if they do.

I think Amazon still sell them with 10 free disks.

Answer 5

Honestly, I would not buy either. I haven't and I don't plan on it for at least another year or so. There are still problems with them.

The HDMI connection keeps changing. You have to have HDMI to take advantage of the imrovement HD and Blue ray offer.

Hardware still has compatability issues. Some DVD players don't work with some TVs. The HDMI thing again.

There is already technology beyond both of them.

Wait it out another year or so till they get the whole HDMI version issues and hardware compatability issues out of the way.

Answer 6

Depends.  Blue-ray seems to have higher quality picture, but it may not live long.  The battle between blue-ray and HD is similar to what was seen between beta and vhs.  Still not to clear as of yet which will make the cut or if they will be able to coexist.  My plan is to wait another year or so and see which one is gonna last a while.  My bet is on HD since it is heard more.  You've got HD tv's, HD radios, HD DVD players, it isn't a stretch to think it will be the new vhs.

Answer 7

Well Sony's last visual video thing didnt go down to well and VHS went way ferther. And DVD is very popular so most likely  HDDVD will be standard.